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NEW RELEASE: THE PAST NEVER DIES AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 9, 2017

Matt Langdon had it all. A beloved son in college. An ex-wife who understands him. An exploration business in oil and gas which has shown a profit. Suddenly, his investors back out, and he faces bankruptcy. As Matt rushes to meet the one man he believes can help him, he finds an injured girl on the road. If he’s late for his meeting, he could lose his funding. But he can’t leave the unconscious girl. Being a Good Samaritan changes everything when he’s arrested and charged with assaulting her.

Lillian Wallace is an investigator for Matt’s attorney, and she’s determined to discover the truth. A close look at the mystery girl reveals she holds the key to a past Matt never knew existed. Dark secrets are exposed as the girl recovers and points a finger at Matt’s long-time nemesis—a murderer who has gone undetected for years, and who will now stop at nothing until he destroys both Matt and the girl.

It had been one thing going wrong after another, but he wasn’t expecting this…

Matt took a long swallow of his Coke and felt the sugary liquid coat his throat. He raised his eyes to Kurt. “What did you find at the apartment?”

“Funny you mentioned that. Lil says there was blood on the bathtub. Not a lot. More like smear.”

“DNA,” Matt said. “Did they test it?”

Kurt frowned. “Against whom?”

“Whoever abducted him,” Matt said. “Duncan’s blood is probably still in my living room. Check that.” When Kurt didn’t respond, he added, “You got another explanation why he would disappear two days before his hearing?”

“They’ll probably test it against your DNA,” Kurt said, then quickly added, “Only for elimination purposes. I assume they took a swab.”

“That’s not funny, Kurt.”

“Not meant to be. Think about it. You don’t want questions raised over your innocence. You have nothing to hide. Do you?”

“No.” Matt wiped sweat from his forehead. His skin felt clammy. “But innocent people are railroaded every day.”

“Stop worrying.”

Matt looked away and took another long swallow of his Coke. His cell phone rang. The sound filled the room. He squinted at the caller ID. “It’s Greg,” he said aloud. “I’m a little busy right now, Greg,” he said into the phone.

“You’re going to get a lot busier, partner. We’ve had a blowout. Someone set the Dennis Number Two on fire. I’m at the site. I need you here. Now.”

When two young runaways break into a wealthy man’s home with horrific consequences, ex-cop and teen shelter counselor, Niki Alexander, comes to their defense. She soon discovers their motive had been to uncover a crime more heinous than two children could handle alone and she is determined to finish what they started.

August 19, 2017 from 4:30-6:00 p.m. Panel with Black Opal Babes at Murder By The Book

RAVE REVIEWS for A Matter of Revenge

“The story is well written, fast-paced, and touching, giving you a glimpse into the harsh, difficult, and often tragic life of young runaways and the people who try to protect them from others who would prey on them. I strongly recommend it.” `Taylor Jones, Reviewer

“A chilling story of abuse, greed, and revenge, opening a window on the world of runaway teens that we don’t normally see. It’s not a pretty picture, but Elvebak handles the subject with compassion and sensitivity. Filled with realistic and well-developed characters, as well as an intriguing mystery, it’s a book that all teens and parents should read.” ~ Regan Murphy, Reviewer

Top customer reviews

Crimes against children are most horrific, and when they are carried out by prominent, moneyed citizens, it seems they are not punished as they should be. A Matter of Revenge by Laura Elvebak tells the story of two determined runaways who break into the mansion of a prominent man, and while escaping, one gets shot by the homeowner and the other refuses to say anything. Niki Alexander, former policewoman, and present counselor and children’s advocate steps in to help. The problem is that she is getting little or no cooperation from the victims. Can Niki weave together the facts and expose the crimes being committed when money and politics threaten to keep it quiet and allow a perpetrator to continue on?

This well-written novel will grab readers immediately. The suspense builds throughout, and the twists and turns become frustrating to readers because they parallel what often happens in the real world, and it seems that yet another bad person will get away with terrible crimes against children. The story moves fairly quickly, and will definitely keep most readers on the edge.

Elvebak is an excellent writer, has a good imagination for storytelling, and is able to create viable interesting characters who seem real. This thriller is quite unique, has a surprise ending as all thrillers should, and is recommended for anyone who likes a good thriller. Elvebak is an author to watch, and her subsequent novels will most likely be in demand as this one is.

When Niki gets involved with some runaways the story that follows them isn’t pretty. They are on the hunt for a man who has abused them and is trying to chase a story they are too young to handle alone. As the story unwinds, more and more gruesome details come out and bodies begin piling up. To keep these kids safe Niki has to find out what is going on and who is at fault.

This book was really good and enthralling. It was a bit sad, as any book that deals with child abuse and sexual assault. This book was very fast paced and kept me reading. The characters were very real. The kids, Jayme, Curtis Ray, and Markey, are all so real and they tug at the heartstrings with all the heartbreak they have seen at such a young age. While I know this is a book, I also realize that this happens in everyday life to kids that have no help. Niki and Lilith are both women to be admired. They do something that most won’t. They go above and beyond to help these damaged kids. As the same with the kids, I also know that real women do this every day for troubled kids. This book told a very sad, but very good story. It was written well and kept me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning.